Screening method for pesticides in air by gas chromatography/tandem mass spectrometry

A multiresidue method for determining more than 70 pesticides in air has been validated using a single injection with gas chromatography/tandem mass spectrometry (GC/MS/MS). The method validation considered both stages of sampling and analysis. The sampling method, based on active sampling using sorption in sorbent cartidges, was validated by generating standard atmospheres. Performance parameters of the method were evaluated, with a reduction in the limits of quantification by injecting a higher volume of sample extract, and increase of selectivity by the use of MS/MS detection mode. The method was based on solid-phase extraction, which permits a degree of automation. The best adsorbents were found to be Chromosorb 106 and Tenax TA. The retention capacity of these sampling sorbents allows up to 1440 L of air to be sampled without any breakthrough for most of the compounds. Data were generated for assessing the potential exposure of bystanders. The application of the method to the analysis of the air in urban locations near agricultural areas showed that pesticides were present in most of the samples.     

Rhodium/iridium-titanium azaheterometallocubanes

Treatment of [[Ti(eta5-C5Me5)(mu-NH)]3(mu3-N)] (1) with the diolefin complexes [[MCl(cod)]2] (M = Rh, Ir; cod = 1,5-cyclooctadiene) in toluene afforded the ionic complexes [M-(cod)(mu3-NH)3Ti3(eta5-C5Me5)3(mu3-N)]Cl [M = Rh (2), Ir (3)]. Reaction of complexes 2 and 3 with [Ag(BPh4)] in dichloromethane leads to anion metathesis and formation of the analogous ionic derivatives [M(cod)(mu3-NH)3Ti3-(eta5-C5Me5)3(mu3-N)][BPh4] [M = Rh (4), Ir (5)]. An X-ray crystal structure determination for 5 reveals a cube-type core [IrTi3N4] for the cationic fragment, in which 1 coordinates in a tripodal fashion to the iridium atom. Reaction of the diolefin complexes [[MCl(cod))2] (M = Rh, Ir) and [[RhCl(C2H4)2]2] with the lithium derivative [[Li(mu3-NH)2(mu3-N)-Ti3(eta5-C5Me5)3(mu3-N)]2] x C7H8 (6 C7H8) in toluene gave the neutral cube-type complexes [M(cod)(mu-NH)2(mu3-N)Ti3-(eta5-C5Me5)3(mu3-N)] [M = Rh (7), Ir (8)] and [Rh(C2H4)2(mu3-NH)2(mu3-N)Ti3(eta5-C5Me5)3(mu3-N)] (9), respectively. Density functional theory calculations have been carried out on the ionic and neutral azaheterometallocubane complexes to understand their electronic structures.     

Review on exact and perturbative deformations of the Einstein–Straus model: uniqueness and rigidity results

The Einstein–Straus model consists of a Schwarzschild spherical vacuole in a Friedman–Lemaître–Robertson–Walker (FLRW) dust spacetime (with or without $\Lambda $ Λ ). It constitutes the most widely accepted model to answer the question of the influence of large scale (cosmological) dynamics on local systems. The conclusion drawn by the model is that there is no influence from the cosmic background, since the spherical vacuole is static. Spherical generalizations to other interior matter models are commonly used in the construction of lumpy inhomogeneous cosmological models. On the other hand, the model has proven to be reluctant to admit non-spherical generalizations. In this review, we summarize the known uniqueness results for this model. These seem to indicate that the only reasonable and realistic non-spherical deformations of the Einstein–Straus model require perturbing the FLRW background. We review results about linear perturbations of the Einstein–Straus model, where the perturbations in the vacuole are assumed to be stationary and axially symmetric so as to describe regions (voids in particular) in which the matter has reached an equilibrium regime.     

<Emphasis Type="Italic">xPert</Emphasis>: computer algebra for metric perturbation theory

We present the tensor computer algebra package xPert for fast construction and manipulation of the equations of metric perturbation theory, around arbitrary backgrounds. It is based on the combination of explicit combinatorial formulas for the nth order perturbation of curvature tensors and their gauge changes, and the use of highly efficient techniques of index canonicalization, provided by the underlying tensor system xAct, for Mathematica. We give examples of use and show the efficiency of the system with timings plots: it is possible to handle orders n = 4 or n = 5 within seconds, or reach n = 10 with timings below 1 h.     

LC‐DAD/ESI‐MS/MS study of phenolic compounds in ash (Fraxinus excelsior L. and F. americana L.) heartwood. Effect of toasting intensity at cooperage

The phenolic composition of heartwood extracts from Fraxinus excelsior L. and F. americana L., both before and after toasting in cooperage, was studied using LC‐DAD/ESI‐MS/MS. Low‐molecular weight (LMW) phenolic compounds, secoiridoids, phenylethanoid glycosides, dilignols and oligolignols compounds were detected, and 48 were identified, or tentatively characterized, on the basis of their retention time, UV/Vis and MS spectra, and MS fragmentation patterns. Some LMW phenolic compounds like protocatechuic acid and aldehyde, hydroxytyrosol and tyrosol, were unlike to those for oak wood, while ellagic and gallic acid were not found. The toasting of wood resulted in a progressive increase in lignin degradation products with regard to toasting intensity. The levels of some of these compounds in medium‐toasted ash woods were much higher than those normally detected in toasted oak, highlighting vanillin levels, thus a more pronounced vanilla character can be expected when using toasted ash wood in the aging wines. Moreover, in seasoned wood, we found a great variety of phenolic compounds which had not been found in oak wood, especially oleuropein, ligstroside and olivil, along with verbascoside and isoverbascoside in F. excelsior, and oleoside in F. americana. Toasting mainly provoked their degradation, thus in medium‐toasted wood, only four of them were detected. This resulted in a minor differentiation between toasted ash and oak woods. The absence of tannins in ash wood, which are very important in oak wood, is another peculiar characteristic that should be taken into account when considering its use in cooperage. Copyright © 2012 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

In situ characterization of Pt catalysts supported on ceria modified TiO2 for the WGS reaction: influence of ceria loading

This work analyzes the influence of cerium content (6-15 wt%) on a TiO(2) support over the structure and water gas shift (WGS) activity of Pt catalysts. The structural properties of these Pt/Ce-TiO(2) catalysts were characterized by XRD, TEM and XANES. Physicochemical characterization of the catalysts showed differences in the structure and dispersion of Ce entities on the support with Ce loading. For the samples with low ceria content (6 wt%), cerium is deposited on the support in the form of CeO(x) clusters in a highly dispersed state in close interaction with the Ti atoms. The formation of CeO(x) clusters at low Ce-loading on the support facilitates the dispersion of small particles of Pt and improves the reducibility of ceria component at low temperatures. The changes in platinum dispersion and support reducibility with Ce-loading on the TiO(2) support lead to significant differences in the WGS activity. Pt supported on the sample with lower Ce content (6 wt%) shows better activity than those corresponding to catalysts with higher Ce content (15 wt%). Activity measurements coupled with catalysts characterization suggest that the improvement in the reducibility of the support with lower Ce content was associated with the presence of CeO(x) clusters of high reducibility that improve the chemical activity of the oxide-metal interfaces at which the WGS reaction takes place.     

Cube-type nitrido complexes containing titanium and zinc/copper

Several azaheterometallocubane complexes containing [MTi3N4] cores have been prepared by the reaction of [{Ti(eta5-C5Me5)(mu-NH)}3(mu3-N)] (1) with zinc(II) and copper(I) derivatives. The treatment of 1 with zinc dichloride in toluene at room temperature produces the adduct [Cl2Zn{(mu3-NH)3Ti3(eta5-C5Me5)3(mu3-N)}] (2). Attempts to crystallize 2 in dichloromethane gave yellow crystals of the ammonia adduct [(H3N)Cl2Zn{(mu3-NH)Ti3(eta5-C5Me5)3(mu-NH)2(mu3-N)}] (3). The analogous reaction of 1 with alkyl, (trimethylsilyl)cyclopentadienyl, or amido zinc complexes [ZnR2] leads to the cube-type derivatives [RZn{(mu3-N)(mu3-NH)2Ti3(eta5-C5Me5)3(mu3-N)}] (R = CH2SiMe3 (5), CH2Ph (6), Me (7), C5H4SiMe3 (8), N(SiMe3)2 (9)) via RH elimination. The amido complex 9 decomposes in the presence of ambient light to generate the alkyl derivative [{Me3Si(H)N(Me)2SiCH2}Zn{(mu3-N)(mu3-NH)2Ti3(eta5-C5Me5)3(mu3-N)}] (10). The chloride complex 2 reacts with lithium cyclopentadienyl or lithium indenyl reagents to give the cyclopentadienyl or indenyl zinc derivatives [RZn{(mu3-N)(mu3-NH)2Ti3(eta5-C5Me5)3(mu3-N)}] (R = C5H5 (11), C9H7 (12)). Treatment of 1 with copper(I) halides in toluene at room temperature leads to the adducts [XCu{(mu3-NH)3Ti3(eta5-C5Me5)3(mu3-N)}] (X = Cl (13), I (14)). Complex 13 reacts with lithium bis(trimethylsilyl)amido in toluene to give the precipitation of [{Cu(mu4-N)(mu3-NH)2Ti3(eta5-C5Me5)3(mu3-N)}2] (15). Complex 15 is prepared in a higher yield through the reaction of 1 with [{CuN(SiMe3)2}4] in toluene at 150 degrees C. The addition of triphenylphosphane to 15 in toluene produces the single-cube compound [(Ph3P)Cu{(mu3-N)(mu3-NH)2Ti3(eta5-C5Me5)3(mu3-N)}] (16). The X-ray crystal structures of 3, 8, 9, and 15 have been determined.     

Design, synthesis and biological activity of a targeted library of potential tryptase inhibitors

We have designed, synthesized, and tested two small collections of potential tryptase inhibitors. The first library consists of diversely N-substituted 3-aminopiperidin-2-ones 6, and the second (compounds 7) was prepared by dimerising compounds 6 through the 3-amino function using diverse carbon chains. We have established efficient routes for obtaining 6 both in solution and on solid supports. We have also compared the dimerisation on-resin and in solution. Four of the compounds showed a high degree of tryptase inhibition at 1 microM, but none surpassed the tryptase inhibition activity of BABIM.